


Arthur Dracwald and the Wizard's Portrait

by loopyhoopyfrood



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Arthur Pendragon Returns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-11
Updated: 2018-12-11
Packaged: 2019-09-14 23:15:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16922292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loopyhoopyfrood/pseuds/loopyhoopyfrood
Summary: Arthur returns as a young Gryffindor. Merlin's portrait is far from impressed.





	Arthur Dracwald and the Wizard's Portrait

Arthur Dracwald had always loved magical portraits. The ones in his father’s office had been his family almost as much as Uther himself; cooing over his childhood drawings and giving sound tactical advice whenever he engaged his toys in battle, keeping young Arthur entertained as Uther filled out paperwork, sent angry letters, and did whatever else it was that a Minister for Magic was supposed to do. Then there were the paintings at home, who taught him how to sneak down to the kitchens without being caught, and later on how to bat his eyes and look contrite when he inevitably _was_ caught. They’d engage him in epic games of hide-and-seek, sneaking from frame to frame and sending Arthur on a frantic search that spanned the entire mansion.

So when Arthur had started at Hogwarts, he’d expected it to be much the same. Magical paintings _liked_ Arthur, and sure enough within his first few weeks every portrait in the castle had been charmed by the small, blond Gryffindor who traipsed the halls as if he owned them.

All except Merlin.

“Oi! Leave him alone, you clotpole.”

Arthur turned to glare at the painting on the wall. The boy Arthur had been, in his own words, _educating_ , took advantage of his distraction and fled, but Arthur barely noticed.

“Are you following me now?”

“Do you know how many portraits of me there are around this castle?” Merlin shot back, seeming more amused than annoyed, “I doubt I could avoid you if I tried.”

“In that case, you’d think at least one of you would have some manners.” Arthur replied, folding his arms smugly.

“Typical.” Said Merlin, “I wait a thousand years for you to show up again, and you’re just as much of a prat as last time.”

“How dare you!”

Arthur strode forward, coming to a rather anticlimactic halt in front of the portrait as he realised he couldn’t exactly manhandle a painting. Merlin just raised an eyebrow.

“Listen here,” Arthur said, pulling himself up to his entire eleven-year-old height, “You might have your own chocolate frog card, but my father is the Minister for Magic, and if you don’t leave me alone I’ll have him tear down every portrait of you in this entire castle, do you understand?”

Arthur glared furiously at Merlin, who, rather than cowering, had fallen against the side of the frame, clutching his stomach as he laughed uncontrollably.

“Wait, wait-” He managed to gasp out between chuckles, “Uther’s the _Minister for Magic_??”

“Yes,” Arthur snapped, “And once he-”

“Uther’s the Minister for Magic.” Merlin repeated, still racked with helpless laughter. “King Uther. In charge of _magic_. Oh, this is brilliant.”

“King?” Arthur asked, but Merlin was no longer listening. With a huff of distain, Arthur turned away from the chuckling portrait.

“Useless toad.” He muttered as he strode away down the corridor, savagely imagining himself burning every one of Merlin’s portraits in his common room’s roaring fireplace. Merlin himself watched Arthur go, still sniggering, only to suddenly stand up straight as a thought occurred to him.

“Oh!” He exclaimed, almost tripping over his own feet as he hurried out the side of the painting. “I have _got_ to tell the dragon’s portrait about this!”


End file.
